There is a belief in the community that drinking coconut oil can facilitate the delivery process. Because of this assumption, not a few pregnant women drink coconut oil during big pregnancy or before delivery. Actually, is this medical fact or just a myth?
Coconut oil does have extraordinary benefits for health, including good for heart health, helping to lose weight, controlling appetite, supporting healthy skin and hair, and being able to prevent infections in the mouth. However, what are the benefits of coconut oil for childbirth?
Facts about drinking coconut oil can speed up the labor process
Because it has extraordinary benefits for health, not a few people believe that coconut oil is also efficacious to facilitate the delivery process.
Drinking coconut oil is predicted to be one of the most effective ways to make it easier for pregnant women to give birth to their baby. In fact, this assumption has become a tradition carried out by the Indonesian people for generations.
Because of the desire to give birth without a hitch, not a few pregnant women are willing to drink coconut oil. In fact, the benefits of consuming coconut oil for smooth delivery are not scientifically proven. This assumption can be said to be just a myth that does not need to be fully believed.
However, that does not mean coconut oil should not be consumed at all during pregnancy, you know, Bun. This oil is one of the healthiest vegetable oils and is rich in antioxidants and nutrients, such as lauric acid, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Therefore, coconut oil can be consumed to meet the nutritional intake of the mother and fetus.
Tips for Smooth Delivery
Instead of drinking coconut oil which has not been proven to be able to launch the labor process, there are some tips that pregnant women need to do so that they can give birth quickly and with minimal obstacles, including:
1. Exercise regularly
Even though you're pregnant, that doesn't mean you can't exercise. To maintain fitness, pregnant women are still encouraged to exercise.
Choose the type of exercise that is safe to do while pregnant, such as yoga, pregnancy exercise, walking, or swimming. In addition to health, exercise during pregnancy is also good to help launch the delivery process later.
2. Routine sex
Pregnant women may have sex during pregnancy, as long as the health conditions of the pregnant woman and the fetus are healthy. Sex during the third trimester is even considered to act as a natural labor induction. This is thanks to the content of the hormone prostaglandin that the body produces when pregnant women have sex.
If pregnant women expect to be able to give birth normally, having sex before delivery might be a try, yes.
3. Do a perineal massage
In order to give birth smoothly, pregnant women are also recommended to regularly do perineal massage. The perineum is the part between the vagina and the anus.
Massage done on the perineum can help the muscles of the perineum and birth canal become stronger and more elastic. This can reduce the risk of pregnant women experiencing a tear in the birth canal during the delivery process.
When doing perineal massage, pregnant women can also use coconut oil, sunflower oil, or olive oil.
4. Learn how to push
Not a few pregnant women who complain of difficulty giving birth because they can not push well. Therefore, it is very important for pregnant women to learn how to push to facilitate the delivery process later.
Those are the facts about the effectiveness of drinking coconut oil in facilitating the delivery process that pregnant women need to know. Although it does not provide benefits for smooth delivery, coconut oil still provides benefits for pregnant women and fetuses.
Apart from being consumed directly, pregnant women can consume coconut oil by adding it to salads or using it as oil for frying.
Not only is it good to meet the nutritional intake of pregnant women and fetuses, coconut oil is also good for strengthening the immune system so that pregnant women do not get sick easily. In addition, applying coconut oil to the skin during pregnancy can prevent and treat acne stretch marks which often occurs during pregnancy.
So, instead of drinking coconut oil to launch labor, it is better for pregnant women to apply the methods above. If you are afraid that you will not be able to give birth normally and smoothly, pregnant women can consult a doctor for an explanation and a solution.